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File Number: 20-599 <br />required to be closed, or limited to pick up service only, in order to protect employees and <br />customers and limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The Orders’ restrictions devastated local <br />businesses, particularly small service, food, and other direct customer serving businesses. <br />On June 18, 2020, the Health Officer of Alameda County revised the Order, to allow outdoor <br />museums, outdoor restaurant dining, religious services, indoor/outdoor retail, and outdoor fitness <br />classes to reopen, subject to continuance of Social Distancing Protocol and compliance with a <br />Site Specific Protection Plan. <br />Temporary Outdoor Facilities Program <br />In support of the newly permitted outdoor operations, on June 17, 2020, the Director of <br />Emergency Services issued a Declaration suspending enforcement of certain provisions in land <br />use permits and approval and zoning and encroachment requirements in the San Leandro <br />Municipal Code in order to establish the COVID-19 Relief Temporary Outdoor Facilities Program <br />(‘Program’). The Declaration suspends enforcement of provisions in the San Leandro Zoning <br />and Municipal Codes, which prohibit the use of adjacent outdoor public and private property for <br />the purposes of conducting business activities without the City’s authorization through an Outdoor <br />Facilities Permit and/or Encroachment Permit. <br />The COVID-19 Relief Temporary Outdoor Facilities Program is a streamlined, no-cost outdoor <br />facilities process to assist impacted businesses operate outdoors and in conformance with <br />safety regulations. In order to provide outdoor facilities, businesses register with the City of San <br />Leandro, certify that they will comply with applicable safety requirements, and provide business <br />insurance information. Submittal of detailed site plans and materials details will not be required. <br />Recognizing the needs and limitations of businesses and the temporary nature of the outdoor <br />activities, efforts were made to keep the program as simple and low-cost as possible. Over 35 <br />businesses have begun outdoor operations under this program. <br />On July 23, a first Amendment was made to the Declaration which clarified the uses that were <br />permitted to operate outdoors under the Program, to include Hair Salons and Barbershops, and <br />Bars, subject to applicable requirements, review and approval by the City of San Leandro, <br />Alameda County Fire Department, California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, and <br />other applicable agencies. This amendment was made administratively by the Director of <br />Emergency Services, pursuant to his determination that such changes were clarifying in nature <br />and were in keeping with the intent of the original Declaration. <br />Continuance of Outdoor Facilities Program <br />While restaurants and other business types were permitted to resume limited indoor operations <br />during the fall of 2020, business and customer’s preference for outdoor operations continued. <br />Even as certain businesses have been permitted to reopen, small businesses continue to suffer <br />from reduced customer traffic due to work from home arrangements and customer reluctance to <br />person-to-person contact. With reduced sales, increased costs of operations due to setting up <br />outdoor facilities and required personal protective equipment, and the cost of ongoing and past <br />rent, businesses continue to have significant financial challenges in operating during the <br />pandemic. <br />Page 2 City of San Leandro Printed on 12/30/2020 <br />256